1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper sheet storing apparatus, and more specifically to a paper sheet storing apparatus configured to collect and accumulate multiple different types of paper sheets in different sizes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automatic teller machines are generally used for the users' financial transactions including cash deposits and withdrawals in financial facilities and organizations. The automatic teller machine is equipped with a paper sheet handling system designed to handle diversity of paper sheets including banknotes or bills and forms and slips. The paper sheet handling system includes a paper sheet storing apparatus configured to collect and accumulate externally fed paper sheets. The paper sheet storing apparatus has a paper sheet cartridge to accumulate and keep the paper sheets therein.
In the paper sheet storing apparatus, paper sheets newly and subsequently conveyed into the paper sheet cartridge may collide with paper sheets conveyed and accumulated in advance in the paper sheet cartridge. Such collision may bend or fold the paper sheets and may even cause paper jams and other relevant troubles. Such troubles are especially noticeable in accumulation of paper sheets creased or folded in directions substantially perpendicular to their conveying direction into the paper sheet cartridge.
Various techniques applied to the paper sheet storing apparatus have been proposed to eliminate such troubles. For example, a technique on a paper sheet storing releasing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-21860 aims to enable stable accumulation and release of even the paper sheets creased or folded in the directions substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction.
The paper sheet handling system, for example, a cash handling system, mounted on the automatic teller machine is generally equipped with cash storing releasing apparatus (cash circulation cartridges) configured to classify and accumulate normal banknotes or bills suitable for circulation (hereafter may be referred to as circulation bills) by denominations and to release the accumulated normal bills, as well as with a cash storing apparatus (reject cartridge) configured to collect and accumulate bills unsuitable for circulation, for example, significantly damaged bills (hereafter may be referred to as rejected bills). In the cash circulation cartridges, the bills are aligned and accumulated to facilitate stable release and conveyance of the accumulated bills. For efficient storage of the rejected bills, the rejected bills may also be aligned and accumulated in the reject cartridge. For the purpose of downsizing the whole automatic teller machine, multiple different denominations of bills, that is, multiple different types of bills in different sizes, are generally accumulated simultaneously in one reject cartridge.